


And you

by steveandbucky



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Best Friends, Eloping, Engagement, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Marriage Proposal, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-03
Updated: 2018-07-03
Packaged: 2019-06-01 13:02:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15143645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/steveandbucky/pseuds/steveandbucky
Summary: “Or, you know,” Clint shrugs. “We could get married for real.”





	And you

 

Natasha yawns and stretches her legs out onto the couch, leaning back on the comfy pillows. It's three in the morning and she's just returned from a mission, sleepless and exhausted, yet not relaxed enough to fall asleep. It was a rather uneventful op, but there's still leftover adrenaline pumping through her veins, so she turns on the TV for some mindless entertainment before she turns in for the night.

Her phone beeps, indicating the arrival of a new messages, and she grabs it and slides to unlock it.

 _“Are you back yet?”_ reads the message from Clint, because who else would be texting her at three in the morning. _“I've just had an amazing idea.”_

“Oh boy,” Natasha mutters to herself. She texts back, _“Do I want to hear it?”_

Within minutes, Clint replies. _“Do you want to be fake engaged and go try free wedding cake samples?”_

She lets out a soft laugh. _“Sounds good. Tell me when and where.”_

They meet up at the first bakery three days later and walk in with their arms around each other's waists, bright smiles on their faces. The sales assistant greets them and offers them a table, and they pick around five samples to try. Natasha feeds Clint a spoonful of each, looking at him with adoring eyes, and they feign interest in the cakes, making conversation about which one they like best. Clint commits to the act, making up details about their wedding, saying how everything must be perfect for his perfect queen, and Nat gives him a fond smile, reaching up to run her fingers through the blond of his hair.

They visit another three catering establishments over the next few days, and stumble out of the last one laughing together at almost getting caught.

Clint is doubled over, clutching his stomach and struggling to breathe. “Dammit, Nat, we're supposed to be pros at this!”

Natasha purses her lips together to keep herself from bursting out laughing again. “We did a terrible job planning out our backstory. How do you go on a mission with such little intel?”

He shakes his head, grinning at her. “Well, I don't know about you, but I've had enough cake to last me for the next few months.”

“Me too,” she links her arm with his and they start walking together. “I'll call you up when I crave cake and we can do this again.”

“Or, you know,” Clint shrugs. “We could get married for real.”

She snorts. “Yeah, right.”

“I'm serious.”

Natasha stops and turns to look at him, eyebrows drawn together. Clint is smiling at her, soft and tender, all amusement having faded from his expression. It moves something in her, making it click into place and she lets out a breath, relaxing under his gaze. They've been dancing around this for too long.

“Okay,” she says. “Let's get married.”

They get a marriage license, and find out they need a witness; someone they know and trust who can keep it a secret. Nat doesn’t have to think too long before she makes her decision, choosing the only other person she trusts as much as Clint.

_“Courthouse tomorrow at noon. Come alone.”_

Steve replies within minutes, with a simple _“Mission?”_ and Nat can almost see his confused, troubled face in the eye of her mind.

_“Something like that.”_

Steve shows up at the courthouse on time, but seems to have disregarded Natasha’s advice.

“Which part of ‘come alone’ did you not understand?” she asks, crossing her arms against her chest, sneaking a look at Barnes, who looks much less threatening and significantly more alarmed and disgruntled than the last time she saw him.

Steve has the decency to look sheepish. “I thought we could use some backup.” he says, all faux innocence.  

Natasha rolls her eyes and lets it slide, stepping forward to greet him properly with a peck on his cheek. It has been too long since she’s seen him in person. She nods at the other man, with a polite, but rather curt, “Barnes,” and Bucky nods back in greeting, not meeting her gaze.

“So, what’s going on?”

Clint comes around the corner then, a bouquet of red roses in his hand, grinning from ear to ear. “Nat! Look what I found!” he stops when he sees the two men. “Oh hey guys! Two witnesses, cool, cool.”

“Witnesses for what?”

“You’re wearing sweatpants to your own wedding but God forbid the bouquet is missing,” Nat grins at Clint even as she accepts the flowers. It is a bit ridiculous, the whole thing, how unprepared they are.

“Wedding? What?!” Steve cries out in an uncharacteristically high-pitched voice.

“Yes,” Natasha says, fighting back a giggle at the way Steve’s eyes have grown comically wide, his mouth gaping open a little. Even Barnes seems to be fighting a smile.

“I didn’t even know you two were…”

“No time to explain,” Clint waves a hand dismissively and grabs Natasha’s head, dragging her towards the court where the officiant is waiting for them.

“I trust you two will keep this a secret.” Nat levels them with a look, and is met with two silent nods, to which she responds with a satisfied smile, saying, “Good.”

The officiant begins the ceremony, reading from his notes. He stumbles over his words a couple of times, apologising, saying that it's only the second wedding he's ever done. Natasha barely suppresses a laugh. This whole thing is kind of a disaster, but it's fitting, somehow.

When the officiant asks if they wish to exchange rings, the two of them stare blankly at each other.

“You forgot the rings?” Steve asks, disbelieving.

“We don't _have_ rings,” Natasha says to the officiator. “You can just…”

He nods and declares them married, and unexpectedly, she feels butterflies stirring in her stomach.

Clint looks at her for a moment, then steps closer and cups her cheek in one hand, leaning in to press their mouths together, sharing a soft, gentle kiss.

Natasha grins when they break apart. “Steve is about to cry,”

“Am not.”

They laugh and kiss again, and it feels good and right, like she can't believe they've never done this before, but she's also glad that it happened the way it did, like in the end, it was still worth the wait.

They head to Burger King afterwards for a celebratory meal. Natasha finds them a booth and settles in with Steve, keeping her eyes fixed on Clint - her husband - who's gone to place their order.

She can feel Steve's eyes on her, so she turns her head and looks at him, smiling. “Are you having difficulty processing my marriage to Clint Barton? Because I am too, to be honest.”

Steve breathes out a soft laugh. “I didn't realise you two were more than friends.”

“We are, and we aren't,” Nat shrugs. “Who else would I marry if not my best friend?” she wonders out loud; not that the thought of marrying anyone at all had crossed her mind too many times. But this felt right. She was sure about her choice.

Steve nods, looking thoughtful. Nat doesn't miss the way his gaze turns towards the counter, undoubtedly focused on the man standing next to Barton, trying to be helpful.

“How do you know,” Steve asks, eyes still glued to Barnes, who turns and catches his eye and smiles. “That you love him...like that?”

Natasha leans forward and covers Steve's hand with hers. “Love is love.”

Steve blinks like he's been caught off guard, then he nods slowly.

Clint appears by their table then, carrying a tray in one hand and a paper crown in the other. “For my queen,” he grins, placing it on Natasha’s head.

Bucky sets down the other tray and slides in the booth, talking his place next to Steve. Natasha catches his eye and smiles, and gets a small, slightly unsure smile in return.

Steve then lifts his soda and toasts, “To the happy couple. May you have a long and happy marriage.”

“Cheers!”

After they're done with their meal, Clint gets on his feet and drags Natasha with him, having linked their hands together. “Now, if you'll excuse us,” he says as he grabs Natasha’s abandoned crown and setting it on his own head. “We’ve got some honeymooning to do.”

Nat laughs and smacks him on his arm and then they're off, waving goodbye to their friends, ready to go enjoy the beginning of their honeymoon in Bed Stuy.

“We should probably pick up rings at some point.”

“Probably,” Clint shrugs. “Right now I only want a tub of Ben & Jerry's, a blanket fort, and you.”

  


**Author's Note:**

> This was a drabble I started maybe two years ago and only finished just now. Not beta-read, if you spot a mistake, please let me know. Hope you enjoyed :)


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